Convert dollar values and percents to numbers

[Alyssa Beavers]

Hello,

I have data where some of the values are in dollars or percents and they are string variables in Stata (see price, sold, and ifallsold below). I would like to replace them with numeric variables so I can perform mathematical functions on them. Could someone please let me know the easiest/fastest way to do this?

Many thanks,
Alyssa

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input str15 crop str6 price str15 unitsize int(totalbrought totalsold) byte(balance notes) str7 sold float total str8 ifallsold float Month str8 Day
"AAAAAA (TOTALS)" ""       ""                .  .  . . ""     2309.5 "2,742.50" 9 "Saturday"
"APPLES"          "$4.00"  "bag"             .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"SPROUTS"         "$5.00"  "bag"             .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"ARUGULA"         "$5.00"  "bag"            54 25 29 . "46%"     125 "$270.00"  9 "Saturday"
"ASPARAGUS"       "$4.00"  "bu"              .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BASIL"           "$2.00"  "bu/geniv"        .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BASIL"           "$2.00"  "bu/thai"         .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BASIL"           "$2.00"  "bu/lemon"        .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BASIL"           "$2.00"  "bu/blk opal"     .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/pole"         .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/string"       .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/wax"          .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/yellow"       .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/purple"       .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/mixed"       21 21  0 . "100%"     63 "$63.00"   9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/pinto"        .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEANS"           "$3.00"  "qt/lima"         .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BEETS"           "$2.00"  "bunch"           8  8  0 . "100%"     16 "$16.00"   9 "Saturday"
"BEETS W/GRN"     "$3.00"  "bunch"          14 14  0 . "100%"     42 "$42.00"   9 "Saturday"
"BEET GREENS"     "$2.00"  "bunch"           .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BOK CHOI"        "$2.00"  "head"            .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BRAISING MIX"    "$3.00"  "bunch"           .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BROCCOLI"        "$1.00"  "head (small)"    .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BROCCOLI"        "$2.00"  "large"           .  .  0 . "."         0 "$0.00"    9 "Saturday"
"BROC GREENS"     "$3.00"  "bunch"           1  1  0 . "100%"      3 "$3.00"    9 "Saturday"

[Marcos Almeida]

There are many options, but you may wish to try this:

split price, parse($) gen(myvar)
destring myvar2, replace
 
split sold, parse(%) gen(mysold)
destring mysold1, replace

Hopefully that helps.

[Marcos Almeida]

Also, this alternative:

destring price, gen(price2) ignore("$")
destring sold, gen(sold2) ignore("%")
list price* sold*
 
     +-------------------------------+
     | price   price2   sold   sold2 |
     |-------------------------------|
  1. |              .              . |
  2. | $4.00        4      .       . |
  3. | $5.00        5      .       . |
  4. | $5.00        5    46%      46 |
  5. | $4.00        4      .       . |
     |-------------------------------|
  6. | $2.00        2      .       . |
  7. | $2.00        2      .       . |
  8. | $2.00        2      .       . |
  9. | $2.00        2      .       . |
 10. | $3.00        3      .       . |
     |-------------------------------|
 11. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 12. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 13. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 14. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 15. | $3.00        3   100%     100 |
     |-------------------------------|
 16. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 17. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 18. | $2.00        2   100%     100 |
 19. | $3.00        3   100%     100 |
 20. | $2.00        2      .       . |
     |-------------------------------|
 21. | $2.00        2      .       . |
 22. | $3.00        3      .       . |
 23. | $1.00        1      .       . |
 24. | $2.00        2      .       . |
 25. | $3.00        3   100%     100 |
     +-------------------------------+

[Alyssa Beavers]

Hi Marcos,

Thank you for your answers. I decided to go with your second option as it seemed more straightforward to me.

Thanks again,
alyssa

[Marcos Almeida]

Alyssa Beavers Thank you for the feed back.